Juice extractor



June 29, 1943. w, {DE BACK I 2,322,791

JUICE EXTRACTOR' Filed June 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jim 29, 1943.

' W. DE BACK 1 JUICE EXTRACTOR Filed June 27, 1941 "2 Sheefs-Sheei; 2

Patented June 29, 1943 T OFFICE JUICE EXTRACTOR William de Back, Niaga to Chisholm-Ryder Company, Niagara Falls, N. Y., a corporation ra Falls, N. Y., assignor Incorporated, of New York Application June 27, 1941, Serial No. 400,028

This invention relates to a juice extractor and more particularly to a Juice extractor of the screw type in which the materials are compressed against a screen while being conveyed axially by the screw and the pomace is discharged through an annular opening of adjustable size at the trailing end of the screw.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide such a juice extractor which is.

provided with a screw of large diameter to obtain high capacity and which is also capable of extracting juice from all types of pulpy materials. It was found, especially with pulpy materials,

.that increasing the diameter of the screw strikingly increased the tendency of the pomace to resist discharge through the annular opening at the trailing end of the screw and that this pomace would compact and stop the rotation of the screw. The present invention eliminates this undesirable condition.

Another object is to provide such a juice extractor which will operate efllciently and smoothly at all times, this being obtained by supporting one end of the screw by means of a self-alining ball bearing.

Another object is to provide such a juice extractor in which simple and readily accessible means are provided for conveniently adjusting the size of the annular pomace discharge opening at the trailing end of the screw.

Another object is to provide, in combination with such adjusting means, an easily readable gage or index for determining the size of the annular pomace discharge opening.

Another object is to provide an automatic relief means for preventing an accumulation of pomace at the trailing end of the screw from clogging the apparatus and stopping the rotation of the screw.

Other objects of the invention are to provide such a juice extractor which is of simple construction, eiflcient in operation and will stand up under conditions of severe and constant use without getting out of order or requiring repairs.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section, elevation, of a juice extractor embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, vertical, central section at the discharge end of the screw. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on line 2-2, Fig. 2. o

, The Juice extractor shown is of the same general type as that set forth in the McNitt Reissue partly in chamber 8.

pair of end heads 5, 6 which are mounted on a base or bed I which can be suitablysupported on legs I. The end head I is preferably in the form of a casting formed to provide a pomaceoutlet chamber 9, which is shown as open at its bottom to permit the pomace to fall into a suitable receptacle or waste duct (not shown). The end head B is formed to provide. an inlet chamber II to receive the tomatoes or other materials being handled. For this purpose the upper-end of the chamber I0 is open and carries a hopper it into which a substantial quantity'of the materials being handled can be placed, these materials falling by gravity into the inlet chamber It. The outer wall of the end heads 6 is formed to provide a bearing", the bearing It being provided with a stuffing box l6 accessible from the exterior of the apparatus. The outer wall of the end head 5 is formed to provide an integral outwardly extending collar or boss H which is provided with a bore II, and this bore is provided with a stuillng box I! which is accessible from the interior of the pomace discharge The juice extractor is shown as having a large diameter screw 20 having a projecting shaft 2| at one end arranged in the bore ll of the boss I1 and provided beyond this bore with an extension 22 of reduced diameter providing an annular shoulder 23. The bore ll is not, however, the bearing surface for the shaft 2|, this bore being slightly oversize and this shaft being journaled in a self-aligning bearing as hereinafter described. At its opposite end the screw 20 is provided with a drive shaft 2| joumaled in the bearing It by means of which the screw is turned to convey the materials from the inlet chamber l0 toward the outlet chamber 9. Any suitable drive not shown) can beprovided for the drive shaft 24.

The screw 20 is shown as provided with a thread 25 which extends continuously from the inlet chamber It to a point adjacent the discharge end of the screw. This threaddeflnes a channel 26 which is of considerable depth at the feed end of the screw and becomes progressively shallower toward the discharge end of the screw. This channel or groove 26 terminates short of the extreme end of the body of the screw 25 so as to provide an annular end 21 projecting coaxially beyond the discharge end of the screw, this annular projecting end 21 being beveled, as indicated at 28.

The edges-0f the thread 25 contact with the Patent No. 21,449, dated May 14, 1940, having a internal face of a screen II, this screen being 26 are shown as being parallel with the axis of the screw and hence the screen 36 and skeleton frame 3| are of cylindrical form. However, it

will be understood that these edges, the screen and the skeleton frame can be slightly tapered. The screen 30 and its reinforcing frame 3| are preferablymade in two semi-cylindrical sections as described in said McNitt reissue patent to permit of convenient access to the screw 20 for the purpose of cleaning.

The opposite ends of the cylindrical screen 30 and its reinforcing frame 3| are suitably lSUp-.

ported on the end heads 5 and 6 and the inner wall of the end head 6 is provided with a round opening 32 leading from the inlet chamber l into the screen 30. .The inner wall of the end head is similarly provided with a round opening 33 leading from the interior of the screen 30 into the pomace discharge chamber -9, this opening33 being preferably beveled, as indicated at 34, complementary to the bevel 28 on the end of the screw to provide a tapered annular opening 35 controlling the discharge of the pomace by the screw into the pomace discharge chamber 9. This discharge can be controlled by the axial adjustment of the screw 20 as hereinafter described.

The juices expressed through the screen are caught in a pan 36, having inclined sides leading to a duct 31, through which the juices flow by gravity to be subsequently processed.

The screw, as above described, has been found to be entirely satisfactory in expressing juice from congestion of pomace in the annular space between the tapers 28 and 34 and in the groove 26 between the trailing convolutions'of the thread 25. Especially with very pulpy' materials, the rate of discharge of the pomace through the tapered ope'ning35 was slower than the rate of feed of the screw to this discharge opening so that the pomace would necessarily build up in advance of the pomace discharge opening 35 'and in a short time compact sufliciently to stop the rotation of the screw.

To avoid this, the screw 25 is shown as provided with an additional thread 40 in the center .of the groove 26 between the edges forming the discharge convolution of the thread 25. This auxiliary thread 40 gradually rises, at its leading end 4|, from the bottom of the groove 26 to a point of contact with the screen 30. From. this point it continues in contact with the screen 30 for approximately one complete convolution and its trailing end 42 terminates at the enlarged part of the tapered annular end 21 of the screw in the same manner as the trailing end of the main thread 25. This auxiliary thread 40 provides an auxiliary propelling medium at the discharge end 'of the screw and approximately doubles the force imposed upon the pomace immediately in advance of the pomace discharge Opening 35. Hence it will be seen that this auxiliary thread serves to relieve congestion of the pomace in advance of the pomace discharge opening 35 and overcomes the difliculties ariscenter of the channel 26, it will be seen that its trailing end is arranged opposite the trailing end of the main thread 25. It will be understood,

, of course, that if additional force is required to force the pomace through the discharge opening 35, more than one auxiliary thread 46 could be employed in the groove 26 at the trailing end of the screw and the use of such additional auxiliary threads is within the scope of the present invention.

Means are provided at the end of the shaft 2| for journaling this shaft; for adjusting the effec-' tive size .of the pomace discharge opening 35 through axial positioning of the screw 20; and to yieldingly permit axial movement of this screw in the event of undue congestion of pomacein the opening 35, thereby to provide an automatic relief of the size of the opening 35. These means are preferably constructed as follows:

Mounted on the reduced end portion 22 of the shaft 2| is a small collar 45, this collar having an annular outwardly projecting flange 46 arranged against the annular shoulder 23 of the shaft 2 I. Also mounted on the reduced end portion 22 of the 'shaft 2| is a sleeve 41, this sleeve having a reduced end portion 48 abutting against the collar 45 and providing an annular shoulder 49. A washer 50 is fitted around the reduced end portion 22 of the shaft 2| against the outer end of the sleeve 41, this washer serving as the end 'abutment of a helical compression spring 5|.

' duced end portion 22 of the shaft 2| and secured thereon by means of a pin 55. The nut 52 is maintained in adjusted position by a lock nut 56.

Mounted on the reduced portion 48 of the sleeve 41 between the shoulder 49 and the flange 46 of the collar 45 is the inner race of a selfalining ball bearing, the outer race 6| of which is provided with an inner spherical bearing face which bears against two annular series of balls 62, each of these series of balls 62 riding in a peripheral groove provided in the inner race 60. It will therefore be seen that this hearing supports the shaft 2| in centered relation to the slightly oversize bore I8 of the collar |1 formed integrally with the end head 5; .is self-alining so as to permit the shaft 2| to properly aline itself;

and also provides a thrust bearing to take the longitudinal thrust of the screw 20.-

The outer race 6| of this self-alining ball bearing is held in the enlarged bore 65 of an adjusting sleeve 66 which is slidingly and rotatably fitted on the outer end of the collar I! which is formed integrally with the end head 5. The inner end of this adjusting sleeve 66 is threaded, as indicated at 61, and is screwed onto the enlarged inner threaded end 68 of the integral collar The adjusting collar 66 is turned by means of a large hand wheel 69 which can be formed integrally with this adjusting sleeve. The

outer race 6| of the self-alining ball .bearing is held in position in the bore 65 by a, retaining collar 10, this retaining collar having an outwardly extending annular flange 1| which is secured by screws to the end face of the adjusting collar 66; an axial projecting end flange Ha which bears against the corresponding end of the outer race 6| of theself-alining ball bearing; anopposite axially projecting flange 12 which forms a support for a cap 13 which en- 2,322,701 I closes the end of the extension 22 of the shaft 2| and the associated helical compression spring 5|; and a radially inwardly projecting flange I4 which loosely flts the sleeve 41 and is spaced from the races 80' and 01 of the self-alining roller bear-' ing so as to provide an annular space for the reception of anannular grease seal 15 of any suitable form.

Thelongitudi'nal position ofadjustment '61 the adjusting sleeve 65 can be readily ascertained at all'times. For this purposes. series of spacedv annular markings 16 are provided on the adjusting sleeve which marlnings can be calibrated or numbered in any desired manner to indicate the corresponding size of the pomace discharge opening 35. These markings traverse, a stationary pointer Hi mounted on an arm or bracket 15 secured to the outer wall of the end head 5, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Similarly detent means are provided for holding the adjusting sleeve 66 in any position of adjustment. For this purpose the sleeve is provided at its inner end with an annular series of axially extending shallow grooves III which receive thedetent 8| of a spring finger 22, this spring finger being mounted on the end head 5 and being flexible in a direction radial of the adjusting sleeve 66. The detent II is shown as pro-, vided by bending the end of the spring finger 02 into rounding form.

In operation the materials to be handled, such as tomatoes which have been passed througha chopping box, are placed in the hopper II from which they drop by gravity into the inlet chamber Ill. This material is picked up by the leading end of the screw 20, this screw forcing the matorial against the screen 30 so that the juices are expressed through the perforations of this screen, these juices being caught in the pan It and flowing through the conduit 31 for further process ng As the depth of the groove 26. of the screw becomes progressively shallowertoward its discharge end, the material is discharged both as a thrust bearing and also to rotatively support the extension 22 of the screw shaft 2|.

This axial movement of the inner race" eil'ects with reference to the fixed conical surface 34 of the end head 5 can readily be efl'ected by turning thehand wheel 69 in one direction or the other, the size of the opening between these surfaces being thereby adjusted to suit the degree of juice extraction dsired. In the event of by the screw in the form of pomace through the annular pomace discharge opening 35 into the pomace receiving chamber 9, this pomace falling through the opening bottom of this chamber into a suitable receptacle or waste line (not shown). 'I'he'degree of juice extraction obtainedis determined. by the spacing of the conical faces 28 and 24 of the screw and end head 5, respectively. This spacing is adjusted by the longitudinal positioning of the screw 20 through the adjustmentmechanism forming a feature of the present invention.

To effect such adjustment, the operator turns the hand wheel 69 which is formed integrally with the adjusting screw sleeve 66. Since this screw is threadedly mounted on the collar or boss turning this adjusting screen 66 effects its adjustment axially along the shaft 2| of the screw 20. The adjusted position of this adjusting sleeve 66 is readily determinedat any time through the pointer 18 which traverses the calibrated graduations I6 provided on the adjusting sleeve 66. The yielding detent 8| also serves to drop into the corresponding one of the shallow grooves 80 provided on this adjusting sleeve and hence hold the adjusting sleeve against rotation from any position to which it has been set by the manipulation of the hand wheel 69.

The axial movement of the adjusting sleeve 56 so effected by turning the hand wheel 59, effects a corresponding axial movement of both races,

to and GI of the ballbearin housed by this my an excessive pressure on the pomace in passing through this annular discharge passage 35, the screw is yieldingly permitted to move towar the ht. as viewed in Fig. 2, so as to relieve thisexcessive pressure and avoid the danger of breakage or of stopp ng the machine because of the excessive pressures involved. Thus, when an excessive pressure develops in the pomace discharge opening 35, the entire screw, togethr with its shaft extensions 2| and 22, moves to the right against the resistance of the helical compression spring 5|, the shaft extension 22 sliding in the sleeve 41, and collar 45 to permit such relieving movement of the screw 20. After the conditions of excessive pressure in the pomace discharge opening 35 have been relieved, the helical compression spring 5| draws the shaft 22, 2| together with the screw 2|l. back to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 to the position of adjustment determined by the setting of the adjusting sleeve 66 through the hand wheel 68, as previously described. The effective pressure of the helical compression spring 5| in so permitting a relief movement of the screw 20 to avoid excessive pressures in the pomace discharge cpening 35 is readily adjusted through the adju=ting nut 52 against which the end of the helical compression spring 5| bears, this adjusted position of the nut 52 being maintained by the lock nut 56.

The screw 20 illustrated is of unusually large 'ameter, that is, in the order of twelve inches in diameter. With a screw of this size it has been found necessary, especially when handling unusuall pulpy materials, to provide additional pressure against the pomace being discharged through the annular discharge opening 35 beyond that which can be obtained from the trailing end of a single screw thread. For this purpose the auxiliary screw thread 40 is provided in the trailing convolution of the groove 26, the trailing end of this auxiliary thread 40 acting in the same manner as the trailing en of the main thread 25 of the screw and serving substantially to double the pressure imposed upon the pomace being forced through the annular pomace discharge opening 55.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a juice extractor of the screw type which is particularly applicable to screws of exceptional diameter and of corresponding high capacity. It will also be seen that a simple means is provided for readily adjusting the degree of juice extraction obtained. It will further be seen that the invention provides a justing sleeve, this bearing'being designed to act simple overload relief means which preventsthe building up of excessive pressures at the pomace discharge opening and that the bearing associated with the adjusting mechanism and the overload relief mechanism isof a self-alining type which insures uniform and smooth operation of the apparatus at all times. a

I claim as my invention;

1. In a juice extractor having a fixed end head, a rotatable screw having a coaxial end shaft journaled in said end head and having one end tapered and means cooperating with said tapered end to provide a restricted annular pomace discharge opening, the passage of pomace through which produces an axial pressure against said screw; adjusting means for varying the effective size of said pomace discharge opening, comprising an adjusting sleeve surrounding said shaft, means for mounting said adjusting sleeve on said end head and permitting said adjusting sleeve to be moved axially to diflerent positions, a thrust bearing including an inner race slidingly mounted on said shaft and an outer race fast to said adjusting sleeve, said shaft being provided with spaced abutment means on opposite sides of said inner race and a helical compression spring surrounding said shaft and interposed between said inner race and the outermost of said abutment means and yieldingly permitting axial movement of said shaft and screw upon. the buildingup of excessive pressure in said annular pomace discharge opening by the pomace being forced there;

through by saidscrew.

2. In a juice extractor having a fixed end head, a rotatable screw having a, coaxial end shaft journaled in said end head and having one end tapered and means cooperating with said tapered end to provide a restricted annular pomace discharge opening, the passage of pomace through which produces an axial pressure against said screw; adjusting means for varying the effective size ofsaid pomace discharge opening, comprising an adjusting sleeve threadedly mounted on said end head and surrounding said shaft, a selfaligning thrust bearing including an inner race slidingly mounted on said shaft andflan outer race fast to said adjusting sleeve, said shaft being provided with spaced abutment meanson opposite sides of said inner race and a helical compression spring surrounding said shaft and interposed between said inner race and the outermost of said abutment means and yieldingly permitting axial movement of said shaft and screw upon the building up of excessive pressure in said annular pomace discharge opening by the pomace being forced therethrough by said screw.

3. In a juice extractor having a fixed end head, a rotatable screw having a coaxial end shaft journalled insaid-endhead and having one end.

4. In a-juice extractor having a fixed end head,

a rotatable screw having a coaxial end shaft journalled in said endhead-and having one end tapered and means cooperating with said tapered end to provide a restricted annular pomace discharge opening, the passage of pomace through which produces an axial pressure against said screw; adjusting means for adjusting said screw 1 axially to vary the effective size of said annular pomace discharge opening, comprising an adjusting sleeve threadedly mounted onsaid end head and surroundingsaid shaft and a thrust bearing interposed between said adjusting sleeve and shaftand adapted to compel said shaft to' move axially in either direction with said adjusting sleeve upon the manual rotation of said adjusting sleeve to positively eflect an axial adjustment of said screw in either direction.

5. In a juice extractor having a fixed end head,

ing sleeve threadedly mounted on said end head and surrounding said shaft, a thrust bearing interposed between said adjusting sleeve and said shaft and adapted to compel said shaft to move axially in either direction with said adjusting sleeve upon the rotation of said adjusting sleeve to effect the positive axial adjustment of said shaft and screw in either direction, and a helical compression spring interposed between said bearing and an abutment on said shaft and yieldingly permitting axial movement of said screw upon the building up of excessive pressure in said annular pomace discharge opening by the pomace,

being forced therethrough by said screw.

WILLIAM DE BACK. 

